1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a computer program product, and a preview image displaying method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, image forming apparatuses have been commonly used, such as scanners that scan original images, copiers that print the original images scanned by the scanners, printers and facsimile machines that print image data input from the outside, and multifunction products (MFPs) that have functions of these apparatuses.
Such image forming apparatuses provide various functions, and allow a user to specify various settings as to the functions. The settings includes those concerning an original such as type and density of the original, those concerning image processing such as zoom ratio, simplex/duplex printing, and a margin size, and those concerning finishing such as stamping, stapling, and punching.
However, in the conventional image forming apparatuses, when a user sets such a finish function and starts printing, the user cannot check a finished state until a print result is obtained. For example, even if punch holes overlap an image in a finished state, it is not until the image is actually printed that the user notices this, which results in a waste of sheets.
To solve such a problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-67347 discloses an image forming apparatus that can display, prior to printing, a preview image of a finish result obtained by applying image processing with various functions to a pre-scanned original image to allow a user to change print settings when necessary.
The applicant has proposed, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-003568, an intuitive and highly convenient user interface. With the user interface, when a user touches a specific position in a preview image of an original, a menu related to the position is displayed to allow the user to select a desired function for printing. Setting of a function selected by the user is immediately reflected in the preview image.
With the user interface, the user can check a setting state through the preview image while specifying settings. However, once printing is performed, setting information is cleared. Therefore, when the user wishes to specify an additional setting or specify the same settings again, the user has to perform setting work from the beginning, which reduces convenience for the user.